


First-handed

by Keenir



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-10
Updated: 2013-05-10
Packaged: 2017-12-10 22:31:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/790925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keenir/pseuds/Keenir
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It has happened before, they say; and they're more right than they know, which means...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Tamara was not fast enough in getting out of town. Not that it mattered in any sense other than how long it would have taken before her true secret was revealed.

Gold and Jefferson found her first

”Mr. Rumplestiltskin, I believe,” Tamara said, deliberately paraphrasing the address to Dr. Livingston. When no reply was given aside from a mean look, Tamara said, “The absentee father himself. I’ve heard a lot about you.” 

“Oh you’d best be believing. Rumors concerning me are usually warnings of how dangerous I can be, and rarely are something to ignore, be they from my son or from your Organization.” 

“There’s nothing you can do to me, that would make you the worse choice for me,” Tamara said. “So go ahead.”

“Can’t think of anything in a magicless world which is scarier than a Dark One enraged,” Jefferson said. “Doesn’t mean there aren’t any, but I doubt it.”

Tamara looked at them, and watched as Emma and Snow caught up with them, living crutches helping a recovering Regina return. _She’s definitely durable, have to give her that,_ said a once silent corner of Tamara.

"Back off, dearie, this one's _mine!_ " Rumplestiltskin said to the once royals of the one world, all but hissing by the end of it. And no longer bothering with the guise of Mr. Gold.

_The rest of them haven't ever seen him like this,_ Regina knew. _Serious, giddy, and amused, certainly - but they've never really seen him at all angry._ "I wouldn't dream of interfering," Regina assured Gold.

Snow looked at Regina and said, "But - he'll kill her."

"That would be too quick," Regina muttered. _And too merciful._

Gold fired a bolt at Tamara's left leg -

And the leg was gone.

Tamara blinked, looking woozy, like...

_Like she's coming out of a memory Curse_ , Regina and Gold noticed, as they watched Tamara placing her palms on her elbows.

But she wasn't out of it yet: "That it?" Tamara challenged Gold. "Here I thought Rumplestiltskin was supposed to be scary."

*That* just got him giggling. "As you wish, hee!" and slung another bolt of magical energy at her - this time at her right leg.

...which left her with her back to the wall, 'standing' in place, not looking about to fall down anytime soon.

Rumplestiltskin tilted his head, "Well that's never happened to me before," he quipped.

"And its been a while since I saw that," Jefferson said as Tamara's body and head faded away, her mouth the last part to be visible...aside from both of her arms. 

"Oh you have GOT to be kidding me," Emma thought as she looked at the true form of Tamara, who flipped the bird at Emma.

Regina couldn't help but remember what Greg - Owen - had said... 'Do - do you really think Storybrooke is the first time magic has crossed over?' And she remembered how Tamara had answered that with 'magic doesn't belong here.' With the first smile since that ordeal, Regina said, "Well well, firsthand experience."


	2. Chapter 2

**AUSTRALIA, 1905**

Many heavy doors were opened and closed. The occupant of this tiny cell could feel a progression to the doors, that the opening and closing meant that there was someone coming her way. This prisoner began to stir from the slumber she had slept for some time.

She was sitting up in the furnitureless cell by the time the last door opened and her guest was standing before her. She said nothing.

"So you're the one called Tamara," said the guest, as human as all the other members of the Organization Tamara had thus far held the misfortune to encounter.

"Yes. Yes I am. Am called that," Tamara said. Even before the disaster, she had not had much interest in learning the niceties of communication with the humans, no matter how many worlds they filled. And slumber held no mind-editing sleep like the humans had.

"And what were you, Tamara? I'm told you only began putting on pounds in the weeks before we put an end to your outpost."

"Yes," Tamara said, not lifting her head or moving any other part of her body. Most of her, body included, were recent additions... _As our community began to settle into the physics of this universe._

"And what about you?"

"Part unchanged," Tamara said, each hand on each elbow. She had no writing implements, _but then, the Organization is dreadfully paranoid._

Her guest thought, _Very well, leave it unanswered for now. We'll move on..._ "As I understand it, you were spared. Everything else in that little...lets call it an outpost, shall we? The entirety of your friends and loved ones and - well, whatever else your kind have - no longer exist on this world. The way it used to be," she said with the voice of satisfaction.

"Bored. Tired. Leave. Go."

"I'm afraid we can't ever let you go, Tamara. You understand."

"You go. You leave. Leave me." And then Tamara peered straight at her guest. "Leave like he did."

*That* bristled her guest, driving her corsetted spine even straighter. "If I thought you could find him, I'd let you out right now. And yes, I have that clearance." _It would rid us of you, and it would find him for me._

"I can. Can find. Find like snarks do."

"And how do I know if you're lying to me right now?"

Tamara balled up one hand and tapped her knuckles against her own forehead. The echoing sound was crisp and clear. "Humans lie."

"Then I'll consider your offer. My report might well get you released in the next five hundred years. In which case, I'll expect you to find the person you know I want."

 _He won't be dead by then?_ Tamara looked at her and, with that same blank look, asked her, "And who? Who are you? You care? And why?"

Tamara's visitor smiled beatifically and said, "My dear, I'm Wendy Darling."

**Author's Note:**

> yes...Escher's hands. :)


End file.
